ALPA Supports NTSB’s Annual Most Wanted List
and Commends Industry ProgressWorld’s Largest Pilot Union Remains Committed to One Level of Safety for All
Pilots

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Air Line Pilots
Association, International (ALPA) today expressed qualified support for the U.S.
National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) annual Most Wanted List. However,
with cargo pilots due to receive a lower level of protection from aircrew
fatigue than their passenger counterparts, ongoing concerns about pilot fatigue
remain. The list, announced today by the NTSB, included the prevention of
inflight fires and illustrates that concerns about pilot and controller
professionalism have been effectively addressed.

Although the NTSB dropped transportation worker
fatigue after the Federal Aviation Administration published new flight-time and
duty-time rules for passenger pilots in December of 2011, Chairman Deborah
Hersman made it clear that pilot fatigue—and, in particular, the exclusion of
pilots who fly for all-cargo airlines from the recently adopted science-based
flight and duty regulations—must continue to be addressed.

“We remain adamant that the new, science-based
federal aviation regulations on pilot fatigue must be expanded to cover pilots
of all-cargo aircraft,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA president. “ALPA looks forward
to maintaining our long-standing partnership with the NTSB in reviewing industry
progress toward a true single level of safety for all pilots of all airliners.

“It has been demonstrated that many in Congress
share our concerns in this area. The bipartisan Safe Skies Act would provide a
legislative solution to the cargo carveout by requiring the Department of
Transportation to include cargo operations in the new regulations. ALPA worked
hard with our partners on the Hill to get this bill introduced in Congress, and
we will continue to aggressively lobby for its passage.”

The NTSB’s new list includes the prevention of
inflight fires—something that pilots must be prepared to face each flight. The
industry has made significant progress in addressing many aspects of this issue,
but the NTSB’s inclusion may help push this work forward.

ALPA also hailed the NTSB’s recognition of
extensive industry efforts, supported and led by ALPA and the National Air
Traffic Controllers Association, to ensure that the highest standards of
professionalism continue to be maintained. The removal of this reference to
pilot and controller professionalism is a testament to the hard work of many in
the aviation industry and the role of professional standards programs.

“This most wanted list reflects the dynamic
nature of risk analysis and mitigation in our industry, and ALPA is committed,
as it has been throughout its history, to a safer industry,” continued Capt.
Moak. “We recognize and applaud the work of the NTSB in creating priorities for
improving the safety and security of our skies. However, we continue to strongly
believe that pilots flying in the same skies, in and out of the same airports,
must be flying under the same standards of safety—regardless of what’s in the
back of the aircraft. We simply must continue this effort to truly achieve One
Level of Safety.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest
pilot union, representing nearly 51,000 pilots at 35 airlines in the United
States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at
www.alpa.org.